CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians played the Minnesota Twins in the first of a three-game series Friday at Progressive Field. Here is a capsule look from The Plain Dealer reporter Dennis Manoloff, who filed from the DMan Cave in Northeast Ohio after watching the SportsTime Ohio telecast:

Streaking: The Indians have won seven in a row over Minnesota dating to last season.

Back on track: The Tribe won a home opener for the first time since 2008.

Indians spoiling Gardy's party: Entering the final four games of the 2013 regular season, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire owned 998 career victories. The Tribe played the Twins at Target Field and swept them en route to a wild-card berth.

The Twins finally secured No. 999 for Gardy on Thursday in Chicago.

Good Pelfrey: Twins right-hander Mike Pelfrey dominated the Indians through four innings, retiring 12 straight on 36 pitches. It was a combination of Pelfrey having pinpoint control of his four- and two-seam fastballs and Tribe hitters having their bats in the belfry. Pelfrey's two-seamer on the inner half to lefties, in particular, repeatedly caused flinches or bad swings that resulted in easy outs.

Pelfrey's perfection should have continued into the fifth. Leadoff batter Carlos Santana took a 2-2 pitch -- another comeback sinker on the inside corner -- that appeared to be a strike. Pelfrey and catcher Kurt Suzuki thought they had it, but umpire Chris Conroy disagreed. (Four games into the season, Santana and his keen eye already have gotten the benefit of the doubt on four borderline pitches.)

On the next pitch, Pelfrey gave Santana swing room on a fastball and it ended in the right-field corner for a double. Pelfrey recorded the next three outs, so he remained one-hit shutout nasty.

Gomes's seven pitch at-bat ended when he ripped a full-count fastball into the Tribe bullpen. Gomes had stayed alive with a 2-2 foul, then spit on a sinker that narrowly missed up in the zone.

Pelfrey, perhaps tiring, clearly missed his spot with a fastball against Swisher, whose shot to right made it 3-2. Swisher told Witham that, from his perspective, the turning point of the game was when Plush moved Chisenhall to second with the bunt because it "gave me serious confidence, knowing all you've got to do is just get a single to drive him in.''

In the seventh, Plush had an RBI single against Fien. Gardenhire turned around Swisher with lefty Caleb Thielbar; Swisher foiled it by ripping an RBI double. Brantley, who swung much better than a 1-for-4 would indicate, later delivered a two-run single.

Pure filth: Wood, while not a key contributor to the Tribe's victory, delivered the most electrifying performance. Wood relieved Cody Allen to begin the ninth and struck out Hicks with high-octane gas and pinch-hitter Jason Kubel with more of the same. Dozier stepped in and flailed at a splitter.

During the final month of last season, then-Tribe reliever Joe Smith told a reporter to "watch out for Blake Wood.'' Smith's confidence stemmed from the fact that Wood would be getting the full feel back in his power arm in 2014 -- the second year after Tommy John surgery. Pitchers think they can make it back inside of one year with strenuous rehab, but the elbow almost always makes them wait the additional year.

The Indians claimed Wood off waivers from the Royals in November 2012.

So-so Salazar: Tribe right-hander Danny Salazar gave up two runs on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings. He walked three and struck out four. He threw 95 pitches.

Even though he was one out from notching a "quality'' start, and taking into account that the two runs against him were somewhat tainted, Salazar did not pitch particularly well. He is fortunate to have faced a suspect offense in less-than-ideal hitting conditions. Salazar would have needed to be much sharper against better competition in better weather.

Salazar struggled to command his money pitch, the four-seam fastball, and was erratic with his off-speed stuff. He got away with several hanging sliders and changeups.

Salazar gave up his two runs in the first. A case could be made that he shouldn't have given up any, and a case could be made that he should have given up more.

Dozier, who entered 0-for-13 on the season, led off by sending a fastball up the middle. Morgan got a late break and was unable to recover; the ball bounced in front of Morgan and kicked away for a double. The wind was tricky and Dozier's big swing was deceiving, but Morgan needs to make that play.

Dangerous Joe Mauer ripped a 1-1 fastball deep to left that Brantley caught, Dozier advancing to third. In warmer weather with no wind, the ball is off the wall.

The next batter, Josh Willingham, crushed a 2-1 fastball down the middle to center, where it died in the wind and landed in Morgan's glove short of the track. Dozier scored.

Chris Colabello followed with a homer to right-center. Yes, Colabello was coming off a six-RBI game at Chicago, so he was hot. And yes, he drove the ball into the early season jet stream to right-center. But Colabello had pounced on a hanging slider and hit it well.

Defense bailed out Salazar in the second. With two outs and runners on first and second, Dozier singled sharply to left. Brantley charged, picked cleanly and threw a one-hop strike to Gomes to erase Suzuki by plenty.

Given the way the game turned out, Brantley's play might be overlooked. But if he doesn't make it and Suzuki scores, the Twins are leading, 3-0, in the second inning with runners on second and third and two outs.

Grinder: Salazar needs to be sharper, no question, but he deserves credit for keeping his team in the game. And it is not as if every ball hit off him was a rocket. The concern, though, is that Salazar's slider and change appear to require much more work.

Two who are searching: Cabrera continues to miss hittable pitches. With a runner on second and two outs in the fifth, he popped a full-count fastball to center. Cabrera showed disgust as he ran to first. Cabrera had geared for the fastball, and it arrived down the middle above the knees, but he got himself out. Cabrera is 2-for-14 with two singles in four games. ... Murphy hasn't been much better. He is 2-for-12 with two singles and an RBI in three games. Most of his swings can be described generously as not pretty.

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